The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response from the city government and police on a petition seeking to restrain begging at traffic junctions and markets to prevent COVID-19 spread as many of the beggars and vagabonds do not wear masks or maintain social distancing.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh asked the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board to also respond. Advocate Narender Pal Singh, in his plea, claimed that it is a sorry state of affairs to see mushrooming of beggars who touch cars at traffic lights “without sanitising their hands” and therefore, stand a chance of getting infected or becoming carriers of the virus.
The plea has sought rehabilitation of beggars and vagabonds and to ensure they have food, shelter and access to medical facilities, including vaccination.